Activity Lesson Plans

Introduction
Students have studied how rhythmic movement and expressive movement can be key elements in onstage storytelling. In this lesson, they will read and summarize an article that discusses the history of dance and interpret a quote from a theatre historian.

Lesson Description
Students will read a selected article about the history of dance in stage performances.

Instructional Objectives
1. Students will be able to read and summarize text from an article.
2. Students will be able to interpret text from a quotation.

Web Quest Activity Answers
1. Answers may include that in the mid-1800s, minstrel show dances expressed folk traditions and slave life of the Southern plantations. The next wave of dance took on a more provocative tone, focusing on women dancers wearing tights and performing dances that had no connection to the plot of the performance. In the late 1800s, dance was developed to fit characters and plot. In the early 20th century, dance discipline was introduced, and precision chorus dancing was the new dance format. Vaudeville, because of its fashion and unique and eccentric dances, ignited a mass interest in dancing. Also during the early 20th century, the waltz and other kinds of ballroom dances were used to show love between the main characters. In the mid-1900s, dance became an actual storytelling tool. Dance became even more important in the late 20th century when many shows were built around a concept rather than a traditional romantic plot and used dance as a crucial element. Now, in the 21st century, dance is the focus for many stage musicals.

2. Answers may include that regardless of where in the world you come from, the language you speak, or your cultural background, dance speaks to you. It has no boundaries, requirements, or restrictions. Dance speaks to the human nature that we all share. Dance has crossed cultures, as evidenced by the fact that ancient Greek tap shoes, African American folk dancing, Irish jig steps, Caribbean dances, and folk dances from around the world have made their way into stage performances for decades.

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